Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[Mini Horses]

I pulled into a station for 2.92 gas....when AT THE PUMP it went to 3.09! . Yes, just before I filled. I felt violated.

Luckily it was a nickel off for cash/debit so paid 3.04 for fill. Still way better than many of y'all !

 

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

I paid $6.29 at my last fill up, with regular gas. Diesel was listed at $6.29 as well.

 

[farmerjan]

Sorry,

I paid $6.29 at my last fill up, with regular gas. Diesel was listed at $6.29 as well.

but they really rape you in Ca..... SOOOO bad.....

 

[farmerjan]

Been busy the last couple of days. Tonight they are saying a freeze/frost warning... so I brought in about half the spider plants and all the Thanksgiving/Christmas cactus plants at 2 before I went to work. I just now put the rest of the spider plants on the ground under the tree and covered with a tarp and blanket; since I got home from work. All the other plants, like the gerbera daisies I bought for the pots, for $1.00, are out and if they make it then fine... if not then I will dump them. Some one said they sometimes come up again so I might plant them along the split rail fence... take the trimmer and scalp the ground and then stick them in.... if the root systems take and they come back then Hey that's a plus.

Of course the irises from my parents house in NH, and daylilly potted plants will get stuck over with the other bigger pots of peonies and well mulched with straw in a couple of weeks for "a long winters nap".... next year I really want to get them into their permanent "beds"....

Went out in the garden when I got home from raking some hay and got the last 6 smaller butternut squash out of the garden. Picked some peppers I found on the plants and a few tomatoes the da#@ed deer missed. Did not pick the green ones... if they are still okay tomorrow, they should make it for a couple days. Temps are supposed to get warmer through the week... and I will go through and strip whatever else I can find. Then get the potatoes dug that I just haven't gotten to. Won't hurt them to stay in the ground a couple more days.

Didn't have time to get in the laundry but it won't hurt it.

So Thursday eve, I "found out" that DS was taking steers on Friday morning.... Gee first I heard of it. They were the steers that we got back from WV a couple weeks ago and were at docs house/pasture here local. DS managed to ask me on Thursday eve.... when I was heading home... after GF said to him... did you even ask your mother if she was available to drive???? Her sister was there helping with the silage chopping Thursday... she went and got a 2nd load of the blocks after DS had gotten a load early before they came to chop at 10. Still have to do the sorghum-sudan grass but he didn't have the "grass head" that goes on the chopper and the "corn head" doesn't catch the "ss" because it is planted so much closer together... it is more like a thick/ corn looking grass that is 6-10 ft tall. Anyway, it doesn't feed into the chopper because it isn't in rows that are 18" apart like the corn... THe guy chopping was getting married today... and they are not going away on a honeymoon or anything right now, so he said he will be back Monday.... It'll take a couple hours to chop it and get the silage pile finished.
I spent 2 hours Thursday morning watering down the silage pile and DS and chad were in the tractors packing while they finished the corn field. It made alot of silage... a little dry hence the watering it down... it packs better a little wet... and the sorghum on top will add moisture and then it will get the silage cover put over top and sealed off to ferment. Probably be 2 months before he will start feeding it as he wants to use up the bag of corn silage out in the field that we didn't open last year because the coons and possums and other critters are tearing holes in it.. and DS won't take the time to put an electric fence around the bottom to keep them out. Needs to be fed out now.

So Friday morning I got up and went to the barn and he had the 2 trucks hooked to 2 trailers and we went to docs and at 7:30 we had the 35 steers loaded and headed to the stockyards in Harrisonburg (45 min north) where they were going to be weighed out and the buyer was going to pick them up. That went fine, they weighed around 760 which was pretty darn close to the target weight of 775..... and the guy refused one because it had both runny eyes, start of pinkeye... so we brought him back home... He got treated and should clear up good since it was caught quick....and he will just get sold when we have some going another time or fed out for beef or whatever. Just one odd one.
DS had to leave before the buyer got there so doc stayed with me and we waited and he got the check... it is a joint deal of some sort... and then I brought him back..... Parked the truck and trailer at the barn as DS had to take the trailer back to the guy he borrowed it from... it is bigger than ours and since it took 3 trailers to bring them back from WV, we used this longer trailer so we only had to take 2 loads.

Then there was a funeral that we had to go to at 4. Friend's husband came in the house and sat in his chair and took a nap and then he never woke up... 69 1/2 yrs old... Boy, that brings it home... since I just turned 69... But, although it was hard on the family to go so suddenly, that is far preferable to suffering or declining with dementia or heart problems or a stroke or something.

I had already had plans to go to the drive-in movie that night. They had brought back " Where the crawfish sing"... and I had read the book and wanted to go awhile back when it was there for one night but wasn't going to be here to see it.... It was GOOD... and followed the book very well... I enjoyed it.

So got up this morning after a real late night of 1 a.m. getting into bed... and had a cow out at one place we rent... and they couldn't get ahold of DS.... so I got there around 9... cow was back in... fence was off the insulators because they had put up electric and DS never took a charger over there to put on it... and they finally just pushed their way out. DS hates electric fence.. but he doesn't want to do any maintenance and it requires a little work to keep it up...

But he came and got it finished and we got a charger hooked up and it is done. Then he finished bushogging there that he was supposed to finish a month ago... and I came back to get the tractor and rake to head to the field he cut some hay at on Thursday afternoon.... Had to blow up the tire again... and of course had to jump it since the alternator must not be working anymore and the battery was dead... it needs to be checked out and replaced if it is not working... or if the battery is just getting too old and not holding a charge its self... But anyway, got all that done and headed to the field. DS said he was going to finish mowing the field on top of the hill over there...and that he would take the tractor and discbine back to the farm and I could bring his truck back when I had to quit to go to work....Next thing I know he needed me to come back with him in the truck because he had forgotten he was supposed to go somewhere....GF had called him to see what time he was coming back...... and I said how are you going to do that and go to Tyler's wedding this same afternoon... he had already forgotten he had that to go to also.... I just got in the truck... came back to get my truck... and I went back to the tractor and raked some, until I needed to quit to come home and get things done to go to work.

So. whatever... he is not getting anything done that needs doing and he knows that I am questioning what the he// he is doing... especially since he was supposed to also go to the wedding (the guy who chopped for us).....

I will go back tomorrow and rake the rest of what I didn't do today... I parked the tractor so I can roll it off and not have to mess with the jumper cables.... Take me about 2 hours to maybe finish the one field where I am.... Better take the air tank to make sure tire is aired up. He might get it changed after we are done hay by the looks of it.

And for more aggravating bad news... the stupid nutty wild buff leghorn hen got out and has disappeared. Something got her I am sure. She was missing when I went out to feed and refill water... after raking....hoped she was somewhere around but could not find her.... rooster is sticking with the lt brahma's... When I got home tonight right about dark... they had gone into the crate but he was sitting up on some straw bales... so I put him in the crate and locked them in. Set the live trap... I have not been letting them outside with my evening hours being so screwy... need to make sure they are where they will go in before dark, so have just kept them in the greenhouse/shelter; and it has been fine. But she had to be STUPID..... maybe she got up into the holly tree branches??? I should be so lucky.
Had a possum on the front porch last night... need to set a trap for that s.o.b......
I'm beat and am going to bed shortly. Back aches... must've moved wrong when I was doing something... hope to sleep it off.

 

[Mini Horses]

bad couple days...frustrating. hope your back is better when you wake.

 

[Baymule]

You’ve had “one of those days” but several of them, back to back.

 

[farmerjan]

Sunday. 1 p.m. and again waiting on DS. I screwed up when I parked the tractor and the rake is sitting in a little bit of a dip so can't get the tractor to roll off to start it Slap myself .... DOPE !!!! I cannot jump it from my little truck battery... and I do not know exactly how to jump it directly to the starter and I am not going to screw that up... So I called DS and he said he would be heading this way "shortly"..... I said I had half the big field done and wanted to get it finished. He was real nice on the phone so she was obviously right there with him.... and said he would show me how to jump it on the starter... and I said there was a wire unhooked and maybe that was why it wasn't charging but I didn't want to mess with it... "okay, I will look at it when I get there in a little while"... I said call me so I can come up and see how to jump it directly with the starter....I am going back to the house for now.......that was 2 hours ago. Guess I could take the car up as it has a brand new battery and it is actually a bigger battery than my truck.....

I had let the chickens out of the crate and no sign of the leghorn hen... so it is very unlikely she will reappear. Stupid crazy chicken. So now I will either have to find another hen to go with the rooster, or sell him sometime... I might take him to the Va Poultry breeders show in Nov..... either find him another mate or sell him. Maybe I can find some of the New Hampshires I want, instead. Nothing to do and he can keep the 2 lt brahma pullets company which will calm him down a bit anyway.

So, I made a sandwich and just ate. I got the samples from yesterday packed/boxed... need to strap and label to go out UPS tomorrow but that won't take but a few minutes. I am going to go out and get the clothes off the line.

There was maybe a smidgen of frost out on the grass that is laid over here at the house but I don't think so... It got down to 37 so not quite cold enough for that. There wasn't any real breeze but by 8 there was a light breeze again. It is blowing gently now. Sun is out and it is really nice if a bit cool. I have been out with a sweat shirt on all morning. Uncovered the spider plants and they all looked fine but I left them on the ground. Won't hurt them and will probably cover again tonight. Then a couple of warmer days in the upper 60's-low 70's and nights in the upper 40's and 50's. Rain towards the end of the week... then getting colder again. Probably will let them get another good rain soaking and then find places inside for them.
Talked to GF sister the other day at the farm.... as she was one wanting the Explorer... she said she didn't know if she wanted to take on payments right now and I fully get it. Told her that I fully understood. No hard feelings or anything but since DMV said the title was corrected, that I wanted to get it sold, and since she had expressed interest, she got first crack. She has a little "run around in car" that gets 25+ mpg and I told her point blank that she wouldn't get near that in this explorer, and that she was probably better off without the payments and she agreed... Then she said, well, I will help you get it sold... she has done lots of stuff on the computer and helped DS sell that truck that had gotten stolen that time... and she and her boyfriend had just sold a dump truck that he had and she said it was stupid that they were making payments and taxes and ins and all, and that he thought that going independent and quitting his job to go into business for himself right now, might not be a good idea... he makes good money I guess at this job... and she said that they had it for over a year and it was just costing ... anyway... she said she would get it on Facebook Marketplace and other sites and help me sell it... so if DS doesn't get the other person here to look at it in the next week... I am going to take her up on it and get it sold. Should be able to get more than the Ford place offered... AC works... and get it gone.

Yep, he is with the wrong sister for sure... this one is much more of a worker even if she has some bad "reputation" past to her name....and she does not like her sister's way of spoiling and mollycoddling the daughter. She is the one with the little boy that thinks my DS is just the greatest thing.... and she does not spoil him like her sister and her parents try to do.

Well, going out to get the clothes off the line and then take the car up and see if I can get the tractor started. I will sure be more careful about where the rake is situated when I park it the next time so it will roll.....

 

[farmerjan]

Back was good this morning... Just must've stretched it too much yesterday. Just the normal "oh do I have to move it that way" aches and pains....

 

[farmerjan]

I went up with the car and it would not start either but did crank over at least once. So I was sitting there letting it charge a little and get a text from DS that he is almost at the tractor.... and I wait at least another 5-10 minutes before he is "actually there"... but he didn't have the pliers to open the hood on the old truck, so after showing him the wire... and yes, it goes to the alternator... so maybe that is why it is not charging ???? he hooked it back up and then gave the tractor a little push to get the rake out of the flat spot and it rolled and started...
So I raked for about 3 hours.... got the rest of the big field done and at least 2/3 of the field above it on the hill.... and he was gone with the tractor and discbine. I thought he went to hook it to the baler and come back. First he said that I should rake the outside rows that he mowed first in the field on the hill. Then I get about 4 rounds around raked and he texts me and says to go on and rake it all as it was dry enough. Well, with this wheel rake you rake from the center out so you do not run over all the raked rows as opposed to the side delivery rake that you rake from the outside in....
So I got a good part of it raked and then had decided to quit and texted him back and said since I started from the outside, he would have to bale a few of the rows so I could get turning room at the ends of the rows and not keep running over it.

So he calls at 6:15... he is going to get the heifers from McManama's... there are 10 there. This is the place with the bull problem a month ago. The grass is short. And if he can get them in the pen, do I want to look at them or should he just turn them out. I said, it will be dark by the time you get them here so just turn them out and I will look at them in the daylight. This is to make decisions about keeping as replacements or not. I went up to snyder's (nurse cow pasture) to do the calves and the nurse cow... and texted him that if he caught them, I would wait and do the gate. I was just leaving after hearing nothing back from him... and here THEY come..... seems it is very convenient for GF to come help catch the cows... It was just dark as he pulled in and unloaded them and I couldn't see them anyway... so then he says they are coming around 10 tomorrow (chopping) and I asked if he did any baling, and he said no, he had to go mow the sorghum/sudan, as they are going to chop it from the rows that the discbine lays down.... Okay, news to me that he was going to mow it. So they left and I came home and covered the plants and put the 3 birds in the crate and set the trap.

He then calls me back 15 minutes later and says well the other heifers are all in the barn so he guessed he would be bringing them up to the nurse cow pasture.... they were supposed to be moved up there a month ago... and we had talked about it again on Friday a little bit, that they really needed to get moved as there was no grass at the barn lot, and that he said he would have to sort off the 2 that had bad eyes and leave them there; I said that sounded like a good idea.

So, I said okay, and he said "well, I have to go get the 4 wheeler because the spray tank is on it and I don't want it to freeze".... because I said we were going to get 28-35 and possible frost/freeze warning for Sat night and maybe Sun night... so he was going to have to do the heifers and then go get the 4 wheeler... and it was like I was the one that said it would freeze. The cotton pickin' spray is not going to freeze in the tank with just a few hours of a frost warning... get real.
So, what do you want from me? I am not working half the night for no good reason.... because he did not get going up here at a reasonable hour to get all this done in the daylight. It is one thing to have to do things after work as the days get shorter... all this could have been done several hours earlier today.
I did not offer to go to the barn to help. Since GF was with him before, then she can help. If she has to go get her daughter, then not my problem. I do not want to be out half the night doing things. It is chilly and dark and I want to be in the house if it is not a dire situation to do it. I have no problem with doing things that HAVE TO BE DONE and if it means working in the dark and cold, then so be it. Been there, done that many many more times than I can count. I don't have to do it now and I am not going to. This is not a life or death have to do it now situation.... they waited all this time, what is another day or 2 ?????

So, I am in and done. Going to maybe make some soup for supper and maybe even a grilled cheese sandwich. Then finish the samples to go out, since I guess I am going to the barn at 10 to help pack silage. I will drop them off when I go. It should not take them that long to chop it since there is only about 5 acres or so, and not near the bulk of the corn.
I will also have things ready for the farm tomorrow afternoon... no meters, just the bottles to take. I will help for a few hours at most.
Just found out that he is off tomorrow also, Columbus day which is now called Indigenous Peoples day???? At least he can get the silage done and covered. Guess that chad will be there also. I have 4 old tires that can go up there; to go on top of the silage cover too to help weigh it down... he has a pile of them but this will make it a good place for me to get rid of them.

So, I am done for the night. Going to get a shower and maybe watch a movie and eat my supper.

 

[Mike CHS]

I wish I had a good forecast of how you future will be with your son but I would have to lie.